...And then there were 6

This is totally unedited and just a stream of consciousness before I crash for awhile...

Final prego picture (EVER!)

35 weeks and 1 day, right before I left for the hospital:

Our precious Julia Kristin

Nick and Jules

Our James

Mommy & James

Our men!

Mommy & Daddy (well, part of) with James

Mommy and Daddy with Julia

My hope is to document our sweet James and Julia's birthday while the memories are still remotely fresh.  I must admit that Hannah's rapid birth spoiled me, and I came into their labor and delivery thinking that it might be just as quick.  Boy was I mistaken...

On Monday night (9/2) I kept waking up to really uncomfortable contractions.  I finally took to the couch thinking that maybe I could curl up in a ball and it might provide some relief.  I managed to sleep on the couch for a few hours until Nick found me at his 430 wake up and carried me back to bed.  I slept intermittently before the kiddos woke up bright and early for their very first day of Mom's Day Out (which we affectionately refer to as being "school".)

I will share all of the details from the girls' first day of school in a separate post, because it was just that fantastic, but I will say that I was powering through some regular and uncomfortable contractions to get us out of the door (somewhat) on time.  I had planned to grocery shop during their school time, but it was very clear to me that there was no way that I would be able to last standing upright.  I just felt weird.  I decided that I would go to Babies R Us to get the girls' big sister gifts (the only thing left on my pre-baby to-do list) and figured that since I already knew what I was going to get, it would be a very quick stop.  That didn't much matter, though, because my contractions just kept coming, to the point that I didn't know if I would make it to the car without doubling over.  After I (successfully) arrived at the car, I sat there for awhile contemplating if I should just drive the mile or so to the hospital for a labor check.  I decided that maybe if I had some lunch I would feel a little better, so I grabbed half a sandwich at Panera Bread and ate it in the parking lot, while still contemplating the trip to Labor and Delivery while the girls still had a few hours at school.  There was this feeling in the pit of my stomach, though, that told me that this is the last lunch out I'd be eating for awhile.

I then decided that I'd better go home to hydrate and lay down for the remainder of the girls' school day and see if that helped.  It didn't.  I finally texted my incredible sitter to see if she could come over as soon as I arrived home from picking the girls up at school so that I could go to the hospital for a labor check.  She texted me that she was on her way (I love her so much.)  I threw a few more things in my "go bag" and drove to the hospital.  The whole time my gut was telling me that this was it.  God bless my Nick, who has been up since before dawn for a class.  He called me every break he had to check on me.  We had made a pact that I would go to the hospital to get checked and if they admitted me, he would come join me.

I arrived at the hospital feeling strangely calm.  As I sat in the waiting area to be registered, I texted Dr. Anderson, as directed, to let him know that I was there to get checked after frequent and regular contractions since the night before.  He wrote back: "Prefect. I'm on call, so I'll come check on you. "exciting with a hint of anxiousness." All 3 of you will be fine."  I believe that was the sign that I had been asking God for that I was making the right decision to go into the hospital.   The woman who was registering me was as flustered as could possibly be knowing that I was potentially in labor.  She was as nice as can be, but couldn't get me out of her office fast enough.  When I got to Labor and Delivery (at just before 4PM), I was quickly changed into my gown and hooked up to monitors to check both babies' heart rates as well as my contraction frequency and intensity.  Soon thereafter they "checked" only to learn that I had achieved 4 cm.  Dr. Anderson told the nurse to admit me by 5PM.

After getting my IV started, labs drawn, and monitors replaced, I had to hunker down and let the contractions do their job.  At this point they were getting much more uncomfortable, and I was sure that  things would go rather quickly.  Nick and Dr. Anderson walked in together, both with giant smiles on their faces.  I was so grateful to see them both!

Dr. Anderson checked me and said that he wanted Julia's head to come down a little more before he would break my water and order the epidural, so I had to keep on keepin' on with my contractions for awhile longer.  So I did.  It wasn't until 1030 last night that Julia was finally in the place that Dr. Anderson had wanted, at which time, he broke my water.  I was now in an acceptable place to get my epidural, and when they asked if I wanted one, I gave an emphatic "YES!"  I followed up asking if there were any impending c-sections that might detain the anesthesiologist (which is what prolonged my epidural for so long with Emmy, which made that labor experience especially painful.)  Both Dr. Anderson and my nurse, Cindy, assured me that there wasn't...But...Then I found out there was a stat c-section and that the anesthesiologist wouldn't be done for another hour, and had one other laboring woman to tend to before me...So, I rallied until 1230am when my epidural was placed...Hallelujah!

At this point, I my cervical progression was at a crawl--5cm to 6cm to 6.5cm to 7...It took me until 6am to get to 9cm, which I proceeded to stay for another 6 hours.  I was checked multiple times, and each time I learned that I was stuck at 9cm, I became more and more discouraged.  My epidural was effectively giving me dead legs and I was unable to feel any contractions or pressure, so I felt as though I was just sitting and waiting for change.  According to my nurse, there wasn't anything I could really do to help it along.  The nurse said it was highly unusual to be stuck at 9cm for so long, and wondered allowed if there was some way James was holding Julia back.  I had been praying and meditating, and trying so badly to go to my happy place over all the hours that we were in a holding pattern.  I finally decided to change positions and lay on James' side, so that if he was in face holding Julia back, he would be pulled away from her.  After about 5 minutes on my side, I started noticing the pressure that I had been praying for, and the contractions started feeling stronger.  My epidural seemed to be lifting just enough for me to have some feeling.  At noon, Dr. Anderson came in to check me one last time, and asked me to push through a few contractions to see if I could somehow get to 10cm.  He said that if I wasn't able to, then we would need to go back to the OR for a c-section (I had been laboring for 16 hours at this point.)  I pushed once...twice...and then the third time he said, "Ok, we got her to 10, lets get her back to the OR!"  I couldn't believe my ears!  Thank the Lord for answered prayers!!

They delivered me in the OR just in case they would need to do an emergency c-section, particularly with James, who, upon the last ultrasound, was still breech.  With the company of Dr. Anderson, two nurses, a scrub tech, the anesthesiologist, neonatologist, neonatal nurse practitioner and RN, Nick and I were to meet our babies!  They all moved so quickly to get everything in place so that I could deliver the babies.  Within three pushes, our beautiful Julia was born, at 1257, and weighed in at 5 pounds 2 ounces!  They whisked her away to the warmer to asses her, as she gave our a shrill cry!  Afterwards, Dr. Anderson went back to the ultrasound to see which position James was assuming now with his sister out.  He was still breech, but Dr. Anderson expertly massaged my belly to turn him around.  He leaned in to tell me that he got him head down.  Another incredible blessing!  With the nurse holding James in place, I was able to deliver him in six pushes.  Our handsome James was born at 1:21 weighing 6 pounds even!  "Joyful" doesn't even begin to describe the feeling of having our babies here, and the way that their delivery ended up.  I am so very thankful for every blessing bestowed upon us.

James and Julia went back to the NICU for their transition period, and have since been admitted.  They both were showing some signs that they needed a little respiratory support, so they both have a nasal cannula with just room air (their oxygen saturation has been very good.)  Their chest x-rays show that they might've swallowed a little bit of fluid, but are really not concerning to the neonatologist.  Julia's initial blood sugar was 36, so she needed a little feeding of formula to bump it up-which it did, successfully.  They both have IVs right now for fluids, and are otherwise not taking feedings until their breathing rate and effort improves.  They are really doing wonderfully, and their condition is very understandable given that they are a bit premature.  The nurse practitioner estimated that they'll be in the NICU for about a week...We are sad to be away from them, but know that they are where they need to be right now to get the best start possible.

The kids (well, Emmy) could not be more excited about James and Julia's arrival.  Last night, Nick ran home to change out of his uniform and saw Emmy as Ericka was putting her to bed.  Emmy asked if the babies had come yet, and Nick explained that if she went to bed right away, when she woke up the babies would be here (or so he thought.)  She quickly told Miss Ericka that she needed to go to bed right away. :)

Kris, Clairey and Jacob so kindly drove to town last night after we got confirmation that I was being admitted.  They arrived just a hair after midnight.  We are so grateful for their help!  Emmy and Sissy are so excited to be passing the time with their cousins!  Kris was keeping us posted with their goings-on today through text conversations and pictures.  Our favorite was that Emmy's very first words this morning, upon seeing Kris downstairs was, "Auntie Kristi, the babies are not in their cribs.  I already checked."  :)

Other than feeling sore and some pain, I feel on top of the world.  I am already freed from the many, many discomforts that came with this pregnancy, and I feel as though I have a new lease on life!  I am pumping while the babies are in the NICU in order to establish a good milk supply.  I miss them so much, but I am grateful they are getting the help they need, and am choosing to take this time to get myself as strong and well as possible before they are relying on me completely.  I can't even believe that they're here, and we are a family of 6 now...God is so GOOD.